HONOLULU – High school teams from across the state today participated in the 13th annual LifeSmarts Hawaii competition, held at the University of Hawaii Manoa Campus Center Ballroom. The game-show style competition tested students on their knowledge of personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities.

The final four teams competing today included Maryknoll, Pearl City, Roosevelt and Waiakea High Schools. After testing their skills through written tests, a “speed smarts” activity, and gameshow style buzzer rounds, the team from Roosevelt HighSchool emerged as this year’s state champion. Members of the team are: Bryan Kitsu (team captain), Zeheng Huang, Hajin Jang, William Li, and Elvis Tran. The team was coached by Brian Look.

The winner of today’s state competition will now represent Hawaii at the National LifeSmarts Competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from April 21 – 24, 2017.

“Participation in the LifeSmarts Hawaii program has increased over the years and it is very exciting to see these students take an interest in something that will provide them with valuable real-life skills,” said Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Director Catherine Awakuni Colón. “Congratulations to all of the teams that participated today. I wish Roosevelt all the best as they continue on to the national competition.”

“We commend all the student competitors, their parents and coaches for the time, energy and support they dedicated in preparation for today’s competition,” said Acting Securities Commissioner Henry Tanji.

LifeSmarts is an educational program that prepares students to enter the real world as smart consumers by teaching them the skills needed to succeed in today’s global marketplace. The program is run by the National Consumers League and locally by the DCCA Office of the Securities Commissioner, in partnership with the Hawaii Credit Union League.

Local sponsors for the Hawaii State Competition include:

Better Business Bureau (BBB) Foundation of Hawaii, Inc.

Coastal Construction Co., Inc.

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs – Office of the Director

Experian

Hawaii Construction Alliance

Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters

International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers, Local 1

Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 368

Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3

Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Union, Local 630

Hawaii Council on Economic Education(HCEE)

Hawaii Credit Union League

Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union

Big Island Federal Credit Union

CU Hawaii Federal Credit Union

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union

Hawaiian Electric Employees Federal Credit Union

Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union

Oahu Federal Credit Union

Pearl Hawaii Federal Credit Union

Schofield Federal Credit Union

Hawaii Government Employees Association, Local 152

Hawaii Prince Hotel

HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union Foundation

HMSA

OtterBox

Pasha Group and Pasha Hawaii

State of Hawaii, Department of the Attorney General, Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division, Community and Crime Prevention Branch

United Public Workers AFSCME, Local 646

University of Hawaii at Manoa Financial Literacy Program

University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler College of Business Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE)